NOV 27 — While Malaysians are still celebrating the success of the 15th General Election, we must tell the story of one exceptional lady who played a big role to make it happen. Her journey reveals how small sincere steps can create an impact large enough to invert the entire political structure of a nation.
The story of Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail must be given its own merit for uniquely mobilising all Malaysians together under the diverse multi-racial party, Pakatan Rakyat.
Wan Azizah ignited a spirit of hope when she created a mass agitation with her personal experiences to lead a historic civil national movement against the dominant ruling party, Barisan Nasional.
Wan Azizah moved into full-time politics and on 4 April 1999, formed the Parti Keadilan Nasional with a promise to open people’s eyes to injustice and corruption.”
She literally went knocking door-to-door in every home in her constituency to explain to the voters that the imprisonment of her husband was politically motivated to end his career.
In 2003, Keadilan emerged as Pakatan Rakyat (PKR) and won only one seat. In 2008 PKR won 82 seats in Parliament. It was the initiation of PKR that inspired all other disgruntled groups to join PKR.
Parti Amanah Negara, DAP and PKR officially announced the formation of their new coalition Pakatan Harapan on Sept 22, 2015.
In 2018, Pakatan Harapan — which consists of PKR, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara and affliated with Parti Warisan Sabah — has collectively won 112 federal seats, crossing the 111 minimum requirement for a party to form the government.
All candidates contesting under the PKR logo.
Wan Azizah, the soft spoken and demure ophthalmologist was thrown into the spotlight, with her six young children, when her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was arrested, in 1998.
Her life changed forever when her husband was arrested, for what Anwar publicly declared as “Mahathir’s put him (Anwar) in jail as he had spoken about corruption and cronyism.”
Convinced that was an attempt to discredit her husband and end his political career, she became fearless to fight for his freedom.
While exhibiting and performing her own duties as a wife and mother she sublimely empowered that citizens’ rights are possible for all and handled this difficult new role with courage, grace and immeasurable strength.
As an aggrieved wife and mother, she created a deep link between personal empowerment and political independence with a tough journey that led her husband, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to become the 10th Prime minister of Malaysia.
Threatened and thwarted repeatedly in her attempts to speak to the Malaysian people, Wan Azizah persevered through years of struggle to free her husband who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in unfair trials which were condemned by governments and human rights groups around the world.
In GE14, Wan Azizah, won the Pandan parliamentary seat in a five-cornered clash with 64,733 votes.
On May 9th 2018, Wan Azizah was offered by Yang di-Pertuan Agong XV Sultan Muhammad V to be prime minister. Rightfully so, PKR had won 47 seats, DAP 42 seats, Bersatu 13 seats, Amanah 11 seats and Warisan eight seats.
“I declined the offer as I had agreed to the deal by PH component parties to elect Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as premier, and I would become the deputy,” she unblinkingly rejected even when King himself had offered her the position.
Thereafter, she became deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, and the first woman to serve in that position. She drew much admiration and respect from within and also from leaders of the PH coalition.
Unfortunately, on the 23rd of February, 2020, after a brutal week of high drama within PH, Mahathir resigned and in a shocking power grab known as the Sheraton Move, Mahathir was replaced by Muhyiddin Yassin.
In GE 15, Wan Azizah won the Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary seat with a majority of 9,817 votes after defeating her two challengers Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar (PN) and Datuk Chew Yin Keen (MCA) where Wan Azizah obtained 43,476 votes while Kamarudin 33,659 votes and Chew 15,886 votes.
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was one of the top students at the College of Surgeon in Dublin and won the prestigious MacNaughton-Jones gold medal, 1977.
She was an ophthalmologist for 14 years until Anwar Ibrahim, was appointed deputy prime minister in 1993, and embraced institutional roles and focused on voluntary services, as the wife of DPM.
In whatever circumstances and the various positions and roles she has played, it was her goodness and her humility that made her so great.
She would carry her own cup of coffee and notes for meetings although she had many officers accompanying her. She felt guilty about the entourage and yet she always felt guilty for making other cars stop for her.
What sets Wan Azizah apart from the rest of the politicians is that she was never tempted by power. Wan Azizah’s political journey has been largely defined by Anwar’s struggles.
She kept aside her personal ambitions while she played the proxy wife, and even reported to be a “a placeholder for her husband,
It is timely to go back to basic values and draw inspiration from Wan Azizah who laid the foundation for a hope of leadership that has dignity, honesty, and integrity.
I do hope that the present government appoints a cabinet that reflects Wan Azizah’s anti -corruption values, as a reminder of what the ideology of reformasi movement was based on.
Anwar has already re-instated that he would put a stop to the culture of rewarding MPs with ministerial positions in exchange for their support.
“I want ministers who will support me based on my policies and are also committed to good governance, anti-corruption, and economic recovery,” he had promised.
Meanwhile, Malaysia salutes you, Dr Wan Azizah for your sacrifices and the role you played in the democracy of Malaysia.
Your role in this movement was the biggest of all.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or organisation and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
